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The Grand
Philharmonic Choir opens its 2013-14 season onOctober 19thwith a rare performance of Benjamin
Britten's masterpiece, War Requiem.

The bleak grandeur
of this masterpiece for choir and orchestra was created by Britten in the
aftermath of the Second World War, and is an eloquent plea for peace.

Britten's music --
by turns terrifying and heartbreakingly beautiful -- is combined with the
familiar words of the Requiem Mass and the stark images of soldier-poet Wilfred
Owen.

"This
monumental work is a testament to the horrors of the Second World War, in
particular, and the affliction of human conflict in general," said Mark
Vuorinen, artistic director and conductor of the choir.

As the musical
world celebrates Britten's centenary year (he was born in 1913), nearly 100
performances ofWar Requiemare
planned all over the world. This is theonlyCanadian performance.

The Grand
Philharmonic Choir, including its youth and children's choirs, will be joined
by the Laurier Singers andUniversity
ofWaterloo Chamber Choirfor a total of 200 singers atKitchener's Centre in the Square.

Dr. Lee
Willingham, director of the Laurier Singers stated, “this is a profound statement
of peace and justice that connects deeply with the values of our young singers
The privilege of performing this work is a life changing experience.”

SoloistsLeslie Ann Bradley,Thomas CooleyandRussell
Braunwill join the choirs
and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, all under the baton of Vuorinen.

Tickets are $20 to
$75, with $10 tickets available for those under 30, and $5 tickets for high
school students. They are available from the Centre in the Square box office at519-578-1570orwww.centreinthesquare.com